Instant photography has long supplied the consumer with rapidly developed silver halide images. Furthermore, it is known in the field of instant photography to supply a battery in the replaceable cartridge of silver halide receiver sheets to insure that the camera had a fresh power supply each time it was loaded with a film pack. The camera used the battery to power all aspects of the camera including flash, focus, exposure and developing. Without the film pack, the camera wasn't functional.
One problem with the film pack for instant cameras is that the removal of the film pack prevents further image capture. The sole source for powering the camera is the battery within the insertable film pack. Without a film pack in the camera, the camera has no useful purpose since the camera does not store images except on instant film. The camera may include features which prevent a user from using the camera without the inserted film pack. Otherwise, the continued of the use of the camera only serves to mislead the consumer into thinking that an exposure had been made. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,105 to Erlichman, such a film pack is shown wherein the last sheet in the film pack causes a dielectric material to be inserted between the battery contacts and the power receiving terminals of the camera, effectively insulating the battery from the camera. In this art, it is important to insure that once the film pack was exhausted of exposures, that the consumer would be prevented from using the camera and thus being fooled that an exposure was being made.
Digital cameras, such as the model DC-260 manufactured by the Eastman Kodak Co., have become increasingly popular with consumers. Such cameras provide the consumer with instant feedback on the outcome of the picture with the color LCD located on the rear of the camera. Printed images from such cameras must be obtained by connecting the camera or its removable memory to a computer with an attached printer or to a printer capable of interfacing directly with digital cameras. An example of such a printer which connects directly to the camera is the DPP-M55 digital color photo printer manufactured by SONY, Inc. It uses an infrared link to communicate with the camera.
It is quite advantageous to use a printer which is integrally formed with the camera so that a printed image can be made without having to connect the camera or its removable memory to a computer with an attached printer or directly to a printer. Recently, ALPS Electric Co., LTD of Japan introduced the PTMTL1101A resistive thermal printer mechanism and replaceable cartridge complete with donor and receiver sheets. The PTMTL1101A thermal printer mechanism is to be integrated into a digital camera for providing rapidly printed images without needing a computer.
Another problem with the prior art is that digital cameras consume considerable amounts of battery energy to power the image capture with a charge-coupled device (CCD), color liquid crystal display (LCD), memory interface, and input/output (I/O) functions. The added burden of an integrated printer such as a resistive thermal type like the aforementioned PTMTL1101A only adds unfavorably to the power dissipation of a digital camera as the compatible cartridge doesn't include a battery.
A problem with integral printers in digital cameras is that they each generally have their own source of power. Sometimes the batteries in the digital camera will reach a low level so that they can not effectively operate the camera and the system is effectively shut down.